Federal Judge Prohibits Prayer at Texas Graduation Ceremony

LadyJazzer wrote: Freedom FROM religion is implied as well. Nobody is going to tell me what I have to believe...

I think the 'or prohibiting the free exercise thereof' contradicts your premise that freedom FROM religion is implied.

Uh-huh... So, if that's the case, then what about Murray v. Curlett lawsuit, which led to a landmark Supreme Court ruling ending government sponsored prayer in American public schools?

I think the SCOTUS pretty well settled the concept that freedom FROM religion was protected.

Please show me where in the Constitution it says that I cannot use the words 'prayer' or 'Amen'.

Wherever that is, does it also protect me from having to listen to liberal BS, or you from having to listen to conservative BS?

I do know that the Terms of Service which you agreed to when joining this website specifically say

1. Because of the nature of the internet, posts are moderated for foul language, flaming, abusive, vulgar, slanderous, hateful, threatening, personal identifiable information, sexually-oriented, spam or any other material that may violate any applicable laws. Nicknames, avatars and images are also moderated. The point is to have fun but keep the forum safe.

2. If you are using profanity, please use one or two letters and censor the ENTIRE word with asterisks. Except for "The Ring"

, but you ignore that quite regularly, LJ.

That offends me much more than someone using the words 'prayer' or 'Amen' in a graduation speech.

So let me get this straight.

The Supreme Court ruled that those AHOLES from westboro wannabe baptist wannabe church can protest in front of military funerals, calling names to those that served, threaten to bring thier so called message of stupidity to a school because they did not like a young man to stand up to them(though it did get cancelled.) but yet a Federal Judge told a school district that they cannot have a prayer because of one whiner and Mr whiner and Mrs whiner. What the hell is a judge telling a group of graduating Seniors what they can or cannot do at thier graduation. The whiner doesn't want to hear a prayer cover your damn ears.

:thumbsup:

Navy, without trying to get into a hassle about it, the difference is that schools, and school events are considered "public property", and those morons from Westboro are very careful to do their protesting on private property. There IS a distinction. Now, personally, I don't care if someone is so helpless that they feel like they cannot survive without a public-display of their religiosity. (Since one can actually pray anytime, anywhere, then the issue is not whether they can pray, but whether they can be SEEN praying and therefore appear to be religious to everyone else... Seems a bit narcissistic to me, but "whatever melts your butter." ....)

But as has been pointed out here more than a few times, the issue is also that if one is going to foist a "Christian" prayer on the whole crowd, then why not a chant to Allah; or the Flying Spaghetti Monster; or a Buddhist chant? Would that be okay?

Personally, I think it's much ado about nothing... But the distinction here is "public" vs. "private" property... (Which is the same brouhaha we go through every December when it gets crazy over the whole "nativity scenes on public property" silliness. After awhile, you'd think it wouldn't happen every year, but you can set your watch by it...

I'm a Wiccan/Pagan, and I live by basic moral principles, or try to anyway. If my son's graduation included religious proclamations of any kind and he didn't agree with it, I'd tell him to ignore it and get on with it to get his diploma and treat everyone with respect. Not worth it to make a stink. Who gives a damn. As long as what you believe in is good to others and the world around you, get on with life.

LJ, since when is prayer a religion?

So if a football game is being played in a publically owned stadium, and a player speaks to the crowd after a victory and thanks God, should the guy be hauled off in cuffs for "forcing" his religion on the crowd? Maybe just a fine with community service? Ya, we should try that.

So no one answered my question from yesterday: If a student preseident (or other student) or faculty member started their speech with a prayer would this be against this policy and if so, why?